1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention incorporates at least one pair of adjacent fence posts whose upper ends are rigidly braced by a horizontal rigid brace extending and secured therebetween and whose lower ends are braced relative to the longitudinal mid-portion of the horizontal brace by oppositely upwardly inclined and convergent rigid bracing members anchored at their upper ends to the horizontal brace member and releasably anchored at their lower ends to inclined guides supported from the post lower ends and relative to which the lower ends of the inclined braces are longitudinally slidable, the anchoring of the lower ends of the inclined braces to the guides being effected to releasably lock the braces in longitudinally shifted positions relative to the corresponding post supported guides. More than one pair of adjacent posts may be used in a straight fence run and two pairs of adjacent posts may be used in a corner defined by relatively angulated fence runs.
2. Description of Related Art
Various different forms of fence post bracing systems heretofore have been provided such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 436,279, 451,461, 540,161, 615,855, 725,770, 865,858, and 2,445,545.
Of the above noted patents, U.S. Pat. No. 2,445,545 probably is the most pertinent to the instant invention in that it discloses cross bracing, but any form of cross bracing utilizes excessively long bracing members requiring an additional expense in materials and fully cross braced posts actually can cause excessive stress on one another due to "heaving" of the ground as a result of alternating freezing and thawing of the ground about the base of the cross braced posts.